Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

³³"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' ³⁴But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Why is it that some people compulsively lie?

I recently had a friend ask me if I had read the article he sent me to look at.
I said no.

He was taken aback.
NOT because I hadn't read it.
But that I simply said I had not.
He told me, "I think most people would have lied and said they did read the article, even though they didn't."

Really?!
Generally speaking, do we really lie about such little things?
Are we really conditioned to expect lies from others?
Do we really believe that someone will think more highly of us because we lie about a little thing instead of just telling the truth?

People- quit lying!
Stop trying to make yourselves seem so perfect.
Stop making stupid, blasphemous oaths.
Say yes or no.
Yes I read the article you sent me. No I didn't read the article you sent me.

I find it interested that my friend said he now has more respect for me because I was honest and transparent is such a simple thing.
I pray I would always be so honest.
It's a simple thing.
A yes or no.
But it can end up being a reflection of our entire character.
And ruining our character is not worth one little lie.

So say yes, or say no. Then keep your word.
Because once it's gone, it will take a long time to earn it back.